Continued airspace restrictions, route adjustments, bypassing of conflict-led regions, refueling halts, longer flying hours, and jet fuel price hikes have forced Air India to take drastic measures, such as suspending nonstop flights to and from Chicago, ORD Airport. This is among weekly 200 round-trip services being removed from Air India’s schedule, June to August 2026.
List of Air India’s suspended routes and reduced services to USA
- Delhi-Chicago: temporarily suspended
- Delhi to Newark EWR: To be suspended temporarily
- Mumbai to New York JFK: To be suspended temporarily
- Delhi to SFO: Reduced frequency, from 10x to 7x weekly
In September 2025, long-haul aircraft shortage drove Air India to drop direct flights, Washington Dulles to New Delhi, from its schedule. Since then, this high-demand route has remained suspended. Air India’s US-India route network further shrinks over temporary removal of direct flights to Chicago, Newark (from Delhi), and New York (from Mumbai).
However, New Delhi-JFK, the busiest route for nonstop Air India flights between India and USA, remains unaffected. The 7x weekly service continues to be in effect on this route. Air India’s summer 2026 schedule includes Mumbai to Newark flights with increased frequency, 3x weekly to 7x weekly.
